This invention relates generally to a lighting device for motor vehicles and, more particularly, a rearward lighting device.
When driving a motor vehicle rearward with little or without any ambient illumination, the only vehicle lighting rearward of the motor vehicle is generally provided by the reverse signaling lamps. Unfortunately, conventional reverse signaling lamps are not designed to illuminate the ground, and indeed often do not provide satisfactory lighting for safe rearward driving. In recognizing the problem, certain vehicle manufacturers have taken measures to provide additional ground illumination rearward of the vehicle. In particular, General Motors has incorporated separate reverse signaling lamps and ground illumination lamps on the 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. However, separate reverse signaling and ground illumination lamps are cost prohibitive, and raise engineering and styling issues, as additional lamps must now be incorporated onto the vehicle.
Also, generally directly to the rear of any motor vehicle there exists a blind spot. In other words, an area where the operator is precluded from having sight. Any light to the rear of the vehicle applied to this area is of little or no benefit to the operator. Conventional reverse signaling lamps typically project light into this area. Depending on the vehicle, the size of the blind spot can substantially change. For example, for a small car with a very short vehicle length rearward of the operator the length of the blind spot may be 1-2 meters. However, for other vehicles such as a large pick-up truck for example, the blind spot may be up to 10 meters.
What is needed is rearward vehicle lighting device designed for ground illumination and reverse signaling from a single lamp, and preferably a single light source. What is also needed is ground illumination provided in a target area rearward of the vehicle which can be seen by the vehicle operator.
A motor vehicle lighting device is provided comprising a ground illumination portion configured to direct a portion of the light emitted from a light source to illuminate a ground surface area rearward from the motor vehicle and a reverse signaling portion configured to direct a portion of the light emitted from the light source to an area different than the ground illumination portion. In this manner, a rearward vehicle lighting device designed for ground illumination and reverse signaling is provided from a single lamp and more preferably, using a single light source.
According to another aspect of the invention, the housing comprises the ground illumination portion and the reverse signaling portion of the motor vehicle lighting device.
According to another aspect of the invention, the ground illumination portion comprises a housing first reflective surface and the reverse signaling portion comprises a housing second reflective surface with a different contour from the housing first reflective surface.
According to another aspect of the invention, a lens comprises the ground illumination portion and the reverse signaling portion of the motor vehicle lighting device.
According to another aspect of the invention, the motor vehicle lighting device has a luminous intensity at a ground surface and the maximum luminous intensity at the ground surface occurs at a location within the eyesight, either direct or indirect (e.g. reflected), of a vehicle operator.
According to another aspect of the invention, the portion of the light emitted from the lighting device to illuminate a ground surface area rearward from a motor vehicle is further configured to illuminate beginning at least one meter rearward from the vehicle and ending at a distance rearward from the vehicle about equal to the length of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the invention, the portion of the light emitted from the lighting device to illuminate a ground surface area rearward from a motor vehicle is further configured to illuminate sidewards from the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the invention, the portion of the light emitted from the lighting device to illuminate a ground surface area sideward from a motor vehicle is further configured to illuminate sideward from the vehicle about one-half the width of the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the invention, the portion of the light emitted from the lighting device to illuminate a ground surface area rearward from a motor vehicle is further configured to illuminate a location within the eyesight, either direct or indirect (e.g. reflected), of a vehicle operator.